3 killed, 3 deputies injured in NC shootout

Deputies were called to the residence for a domestic dispute when gunfire was exchanged with one person

By Martha Waggoner
Associated Press

FAYETTEVILLE, N.C. — An angry husband sprayed his father-in-law's house with bullets from two 30-round magazines, killing two people, after his wife ran to the home during an argument Wednesday.

The man later exchanged gunfire with authorities and died of a gunshot after wounding three deputies, the Cumberland County Sheriff's office said.

The violence began before 7 a.m., when 41-year-old Valerie Michaelis called 911 for help, authorities said. Michaelis and her husband, Andrew, were arguing and she said he was holding her at gunpoint.

Investigators said Valerie Michaelis got the gun from her husband, who then pursued her with a knife. She fled to her father's house.

Seven people were in the house when authorities say Andrew Michaelis drove by in his truck and fired into it. He killed two people: his wife's father, 61-year-old Gary Simpson and Simpson's 10-year-old grandson, Trekwan Covington.

Authorities say Andrew Michaelis later died after a shootout with deputies. It wasn't clear if the deputies killed him or if he took his own life.

Michael Morrison, who lives near where the shooting happened, told The Associated Press he went outside when he heard the shooting. He said he saw police cars with their windows shot out and heard numerous gunshots behind his home.

"It sounded like a war zone back there, all that shooting," he said.

One neighbor who lives near the woods where the suspect was killed, Jacarria Bethea, said she didn't get up when she heard shots because she's used to hearing gunshots at nights. Another neighbor attributed those nighttime gunshots to people firing guns into the air in the woods, not at each other.

The house where the shooting occurred is on a corner lot in a neighborhood of mostly mobile homes on foundations. Its front door had what appeared to be gunshots, and tiny pieces of shattered, green glass were in the street.

One of the injured deputies underwent surgery for gunshot wounds and was in stable condition, Butler said. A second suffered a grazing wound to his head while a third suffered minor bruising when a bullet struck her duty belt, which prevented the bullet from entering her body.

Another deputy escaped injury when a bullet penetrated his uniform but didn't strike his body. A state Highway Patrol trooper suffered a shrapnel wound when a bullet went through his vehicle.

Copyright 2014 The Associated Press

Copyright Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.